A great place to stop for a snack when you’re out adventuring around town this summer is Guthrie’s. It’s not flashy, but it’s local and it sure is good! Who doesn't love chicken fingers?
The chain began in Haleyville in 1965.
“My wife Donna and I are originally from Haleyville and knew the Guthrie family quite well and had followed their business for years,” said Owner Keith Lann. “We decided to buy the Cullman franchise and opened on April 29, 2009. Most people may not remember there was a Guthrie's franchise in our same location that closed a few years before we bought the franchise. I had no restaurant experience, but with the help of some great employees and community support we're blessed with a great business and still growing after 15 years!”
Many restaurants have come and gone in Cullman over the years, and Lann credits his restaurant's staying power to an unlikely source: “I give some credit to the little ole lady who stood at our counter the week we opened looking at our menu board and said, ‘You know there have been several restaurants in this building that didn't make it…and you won't either!’ She didn't say it to be hateful or hurtful. She was just thinking out loud, but she made us more determined than ever to succeed!”
He continued, “We've seen over a dozen restaurants and about the same number of retail businesses that have changed the landscape over the years. Publix, Ulta and Dick's Sporting Goods along with Moe's, Panera Bread and Urban Cookhouse just to name a few. The north side of town has really grown and has plans for more. We're happy to see all the growth in our area. Good competition makes for good business.”
Find Guthrie's of Cullman at 704 Second Ave. NW (U.S. Highway 31).